Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-09
NEW YORK EAST CONFERENCE.

The thirty-ninth annual session of the New York East conference, which includes the Methodist churches in Connecticut west of the Connecticut river, the city of Brook lyn, Long Island and portion of New York city, opened in the new Methodist church at Mount Vernon, near New York city, Tues- day, Bishop William L. Harris presiding The conference will probably be in session one week, is usual. These annual gather ings of clergymen are looked forward to with g great deal of interest not only by the preachers, but by the entire mem bership of the Methodist church within the jurisdiction of the conference. As is we'll known, the end of the conference year, the first of April, closes the pastorate of each of 250 ministers, and to return to former charges reappoint-
 ment for one year is necessary. While it is usually understood what pastors will be ap- pointed to the various churches, sometimes there are surprises and disappointments at the last moment, caused by necessary changes to fill some peculiar pastorate.
 Of the 250 pastors in the conference forty eight have completed the three years limit and will necessarily be appointed to new l fields of labor. Added to this number are | nearly as many more who are either unftted for a return or who prefer @ new appoint l ment. Two presiding elders, Rev. Benjamin M Adams of the New York district, former l ly pastor of the First M E. church of this city, and Rev. Ichabod Simmons of the Brooklyn district, formerly of the George street NJ. B. church, this city, have complet- ed the four years limit and cannot be reap pointed but will be assigned to pastorates. In the New Haven district sixteen pastors l have been three years each with their present churches, follows: New Haven, B. Gun ningham, East Pearl street church; D. A. Goodsell, First church; A. H. Wyatt, St. John street church, and J. O. Peck, Trinity church; A. 0. Eggleston, Birmingham; 2. B. Miller, Bris- tol; w. A. Richard, Durham; M. McMullen, Hamden; c. H. Talmage, Higganum and Haddam; A. McAllister, Kensington; W. V. Kelley, Middletown; F. Saunders, Milford; N. L. Porter, Thomaston; N. Edwards, Un- ionville and Burlington; J. H. Crofut, West brook; T. E. Gilbert, West Haven.
 In Hartford the three pastors will be re- turned at the unanimous request of the re- spective official boards as follows: The Rev. Dr. George Van Alstyne at the First church, the Rev Abram s. Kavanagh at the South Park church, and the Rev. David G. Downey at the North church. The Rev. w. H. Wardell, formerly pastor of this city, will be reappointed presiding elder of the New Haven
 district, having just completed his third year in that position. He is we'll fitted for
 the duties of elder and has attended to the arduous duties in a manner highly creditable and to the satisfaction of the churches in the district. His methodical and painstaking efforts have brought the churches to higher standard, while his Christian counsel and ex- ample have given encouragement to the weaker churches
 New appointments will probably be made as follows: The Rev. J. O. Peck, Brooklyn; the Rev. George E. Reed, Trinity church, New Haven; the Rev. ". V. Kelsey, Brook D church, New Haven; the Rev. A. H. Wyatt, Bristol; the Rev. 0. E. Miller, Brooklyn; the Rev. L. M. Foster, St. John street church, New Haven; the Rev. Ichabod Simmons, Birmingham. The Rev. George L. Thompson, formerly of this city, will be returned to New Britain and the Rev. J. Vim ton to Plainville.
 The Rev. R. H. Loomis, formerly of the Fair Haven M. D. church, but for the past two years at Windsor, will become super annuated preacher, alter forty yeals of faith ful service. He has purchased the old Loomis homestead in Bloomfield and will pass the remainder of his days there.
 Rev. DI. Goodsell becomes editor of Zion's
 Herald in place of becoming pastor of = 3 fine new Methodist church in Middletown as was first expected He begins his editorial labors after a few months rest, which he
 will take chiefly at his cottage at Short Beach, four miles from this city.
 Rev. Dr. Foster. who comes to the St. John street NJ. E. church, has been chaplain of a large G. A. R. post in Brooklyn, and is
 an ex-chaplain of the highest G. A. R. body, the national body. He will deliver the Memorial day discourse this year before the G. A. R. of this city.
 Rev. Dr. Mead, pastor of the Dixwell ave- nue NJ. E. church, this city, retires from the ministry after foIty-three consecutive years of labor as a preacher and pastor. He leaves high record for efficiency and usefulness. Rev. A. McAllister, who has just complet- ed three years term of service at the Meth odist church in Kensiugton, received many
 tokens of good will from the people on his departure, including goodly sum of money.
 Persons in thinking of minister and min isterial life usually associate them with 8 class as fairly well paid, and while not, pe--
 haps, receiving as large salaries as other pro- fessional men. yet are above the ordinary
 wants of life, as they say ,or those of the Meth odist denomination at least are always sure of a situation. A gentleman who is interest ed in such matters has completed table from the annual reports of the New York East conference of the salaries of the minis. teTs of New Haven district, where it would be supposed that all received fair living sal aries. He fnds in this district that there are 22 ministers who receive less than $500 per year each including house rent. Of these ten receive an average of $523, three an average of $471, three an average of $338, six an average of $218. Total average of the 9, $3S7. 50 each. It is not to be won dered at that with these meagre incomes churches more prosperous are asked to con- tribute of their means to assist the poorly paid men. In the New Haven district it is proposed to raise the sum of $1 ,000 in the various churches, which will be divided be- tween the twenty-two ministers, many of whom do not receive the pay of the ordinary day laboIer.